CHAPTER V 



THE GREATER SUMMER-LEAFING TREES OF THE 

 NORTHERN FOREST 



HOWEVER much we may rejoice in the Mountain Pine, 

 we are men of the plains and also the broad-leaved trees, 

 Oaks and Beeches and Ash. To these and to their 

 many allies is also given the palm of beauty for their 

 wondrous changes throughout the year and loveliest 

 colour, from the down-clad buds of the early year to the 

 world-splendours of the fall, when the leaves show us 

 how to die. To them also belongs all the most valuable 

 timber: but here we are concerned mostly with beauty. 



Why is it that the highest beauty of our native trees 

 is not so evident to us as it ought to be, where there is 

 room to plant ? It is because of the ' dotting ' planting 

 and the underwood ways in woodland, which prevent 

 the trees from taking their stateliest forms. Then there 

 is the open way of planting, in which every tree stands 

 apart, a way that is dead against good effect and good 

 timber. 



If this is the fate of our native trees, to be as often 

 planted without picturesque effect in most country 

 places, how much more so it is true of American and 

 other exotic trees, for many years planted as 'specimens' 

 for the pleasure ground, often being much-transplanted 

 trees, grafted trees, or, worse still, rare trees raised in 

 pots : the result of such plantings being that a tree has 

 not had a fair trial. Look at a transplanted Oak and 



